Ethan Caldwell

Interval training transformed my performance during my first triathlon season. I went from struggling to finish a sprint distance to confidently tackling Olympic races, all because I learned how to structure high-intensity sessions properly. What is interval training? Interval training is a workout method that alternates between periods of high-intensity effort and periods of lower-intensity … Read more

I remember standing at the starting line of my first half-Ironman, heart pounding, wondering if I had done enough. Six months of training had led to this moment. But had I trained smart, or just trained hard? That question haunted me until I discovered periodization in triathlon training. Periodization is the secret weapon that separates … Read more

Time is the one resource we cannot create more of. Between early morning pool sessions, long weekend rides, and trying to maintain some semblance of a personal life, fitting in quality training often feels impossible. I have spent the last 15 years coaching triathletes, and the number one complaint I hear is not about motivation … Read more

You are three miles into a half marathon. Your legs feel fresh. Your breathing is controlled. You watch runners who passed you at mile one start to slow down and struggle. You smile and maintain your pace. At mile 10, you start passing them back. You cross the finish line with energy to spare and … Read more

If you have ever wondered what is a tempo run and why experienced runners keep talking about them, you are not alone. I spent years running easy miles and wondering why my race times were not improving until a coach introduced me to threshold training. That single change transformed my performance, taking my half marathon … Read more

Nothing is more frustrating than swimming what feels like a straight line, only to discover you have drifted 50 yards off course. I have been there, fighting through waves and thinking I was heading toward the buoy, when a quick check revealed I was swimming parallel to the beach instead of toward it. Learning how … Read more

Standing at the edge of a lake or the shoreline, looking out at the open water, feels completely different from standing at a poolside. The vastness can be intimidating. Yet there is something magnetic about open water swimming that draws thousands of beginners every year to trade the chlorinated confines of their local pool for … Read more

Learning how to carb load before a marathon can be the difference between crossing the finish line strong and hitting the wall at mile 20. After coaching hundreds of athletes through the Nautica Malibu Triathlon and other endurance events over the past decade, I have seen this nutrition strategy make or break race day performance. … Read more

That first plunge into cold water hits different. Your chest tightens. Your breath catches. Every instinct screams to get out. I remember my first cold water swim like it was yesterday: 58-degree water at Zuma Beach, heart racing, hyperventilating, wondering if I had made a terrible mistake. But I kept at it. Within a few … Read more

Standing at the starting line of a 15-mile training run, I learned the hard way that what to eat before a long run can make or break your entire workout. I had skipped breakfast, thinking coffee would carry me through. By mile 8, my legs felt like concrete and my stomach was growling louder than … Read more